blue moon

Astro Doings March 2018

Margaret Lassiter 2 Comments

Hi Everyone

March begins and ends with a Full Moon, although neither has an eclipse attached. The next round of eclipses is in July and August.

The Full Moon occurs on March 1 at 7:51 p.m. ET at 110 Virgo and the second Full Moon (blue) occurs on the 31st at 8:37 a.m. at 100 Libra.

The astrological New Year and the first day of Spring (the Vernal Equinox) occurs on Tuesday, March 20 at 12:16 p.m. when the Sun enters Aries.

Two planets change direction in March in their heavenly dance.

Jupiter stations retrograde – that’s astro-speak for when a planet “stops” moving as it starts to move from west to east from the earth’s perspective. This direction change occurs on March 8 at 11:46 p.m. at 230 Scorpio. What this could mean in general is less of an expansive attitude about anything/everything – a pulling back. It can also mean a greater inner sense of self.  This is especially true for those with planets in Scorpio, Taurus, Leo and Aquarius. The closer these planets are to 230 the more likely this change of direction will be felt.  Jupiter is a planet of expansion – great if it’s not my waistline – excess, optimism, being bigger than life. He is, after all, the largest planet in our solar system.The second direction change is everyone’s favorite – yep, you guessed it: Mercury. The planet of communication, computers, travel begins his three-week trek “backwards” on March 22 at 8:19 p.m. at 160 Aries. (Mercury starts going “direct” (from east to west) on April 15.) This is the first of three Mercury retrogrades in 2018. Mercury retrogrades are wonderful times to re-pose, re-group, re-treat, re-think. It can be a repose period to integrate and review next steps.

I am struck by the fact that there are no planets in air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) for the entire month of March and most of April. Early in the month planets are primarily in water and earth. After the Equinox, we have four planets in fire signs (Sun, Mercury, Venus and Uranus); three in earth (Capricorn to be precise). They are Mars, Saturn and Pluto; and two in water signs (Jupiter and Neptune). The air element deals primarily in the realm of ideas, communication and relationship. Those will a lot of air in their charts may feel disconnected and/or unheard during March. Or it can go the other way with an over-abundance of talk without a lot of follow-through – just mental spinning. I mention it only because when an element is missing (and this is true for charts as well), there is an imbalance where we may tend to overcompensate. We may be so focused on feelings, material concerns and action, without thought. A lack of air can also manifest as intolerance of other ideas and/or people. Something to watch as March unfolds.

Happy Spring!

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret

Astro Doings January 2018

Margaret Lassiter Leave a comment

Hi Everyone,

Happy New Year!

If you enjoyed the super moon in December, you’ll love January, which has the only two super moons of the year. This month starts out with no planets in air, the mental realm of ideas. Instead there is a lot of earth (practical, prudent, and patient) and water (emotional, psychic, and changeable).

We start the year with the first full super moon at 9:24 pm ET. She’ll be at 110 Cancer and part of a grand trine (think triangle) with other planets in water signs. Specifically, she’ll trine Jupiter and Mars in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces. A trine indicates an easy flow of energy because all the planets are in the same element (water). We tend to ignore things that are easy, but this full moon may shed light on how high emotions are running. We may also continue to deal with issues around water – not enough or too much. In addition, Sun, Venus, Saturn and Pluto will be in Capricorn, which is an earth sign and can provide boundaries for all that water. The Sun, Venus and Pluto are right next to each other, so in theory, they are all working together. Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, can represent the status quo, tradition, institutions and “how we’ve always done things.” Some of the high emotions may be directed at institutions that some feel are not working for the highest and best for all.

The next day, January 2nd, Uranus, the planet of rebellion, inspiration and destroyer of outmoded forms and thinking, will end his retrograde motion at 9:11 a.m. He will be at 240 Aries, the sign of the warrior – of all types, spiritual and otherwise. Aries’ spiritual quest is to build a relationship with High Self, and since the beginning of his retrograde motion last August, most of that questing has been internal. Now, as he changes direction, this quest (and the results of our inner work) may become more visible in the outer world. In Aries, Uranus is in a challenging relationship to planets in Capricorn, since earth (Capricorn) and fire (Aries) are incompatible elements, but they both have the same initiating quality. In astrology we call this cardinal energy and those who have a lot of it in their charts tend to start but not finish. (Cancer and Libra are the other two cardinal signs.) All planets will be in direct motion through March 8. So, this may be a time of outward movement rather than inner reflection.

Next up – a New Moon on the 16th at 260 Capricorn. There will be 6 planets in Capricorn: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Pluto. That’s a lot of Capricorn energy! Those with placements in their natal charts in Capricorn, Cancer, Aries and/or Libra may feel a little more scattered than “normal.” For the other earth signs, Taurus and Virgo, this could add additional practicality, prudence and reserve to their energy.

The air signs finally get a little breather (ha, ha!) on January 19th when the Sun enters Aquarius. Venus will be right with him to hopefully add beauty and loveliness to the Water Bearer, who tends to be a little “in his head.”  However, Aquarius is the sign of the innovator (think Thomas Edison), the visionary (Franklin Roosevelt) and humanitarian (Abraham Lincoln).  Ruled by Uranus, new, possibly revolutionary, energies/ideas/inspiration may appear “out of the blue.”

And for the grand finale! On the 31st at 8:27 am ET we have a super blue lunar eclipse at 110 Leo. A blue moon is the second full moon in a month. This is also the second, and final, super moon of 2018 and it’s a full lunar eclipse. I tried to find out if this had ever happened before, but I couldn’t find another instance of all three coming together. Attention fixed signs (Aquarius, Leo, Scorpio and Taurus), who may be more likely to feel the impact of this unusual lunar eclipse. The eclipse will be visible in western North America (and elsewhere west of the US) and will last about 5 hours. The eclipse will be opposite Venus and the Sun and squared (growth opportunity) by Jupiter in Scorpio. What this means is that there will be an energy vortex open in Leo for about 5 months. Depending on placements in the natal chart, each time any planet is near 110 of any placement in a fixed or fire sign, the individual may feel more energy coming in or “a little off.” Lunar eclipses are about service and giving back. They are also about a change in how the energy has been used previously. Leo’s quest is for union with the Divine Child in each of us and in each other. Eclipses come in pairs. The solar eclipse that goes with this lunar eclipse occurs in February. We’ll talk about that next month.

I hope you have a most joyous and peace-filled beginning to your New Year! Remember, the planets do not simply move; they are dancing to the music of heaven.

Peace and abundant blessings,

Margaret